Photos: Artown 2016's Opening Night

Tracey Sibanda, a Mandela Washington Fellow, hangs out with Spider Man in Wingfield Park for the opening night of Artown 2016. The Mandela Washington Fellowship for young African leaders is being held at the University of Nevada, Reno.

Musicians, street artists and community members kicked off Artown with the Opening Night Jubilee in downtown Reno’s Wingfield Park.

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Among the bunches of musicians and artists, you might have seen Jennifer Charboneau crouched over an easel, painting a bright yellow flower in a purple vase. While she enjoys doing street art, she would like to see the Reno art scene evolve.

“I think a lot of us are thinking bigger scale and a lot more public art, which is great. Everybody loves to work bigger,” she said.

Charboneau ended up in Reno by accident; her car broke down on her move to the West Coast, but she stayed because of the creative environment.

“The arts are important because I think it gives everybody a lighter way to look at the world,” she said, "whether they are dealing with heavy problems or if they are trying to solve something within the community.”

Charboneau would also like for there to be more street fairs. That way, local artists would get more visibility.

As a note of disclosure, Reno Public Radio is a media sponsor of Artown.

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